The present invention relates to a shock-absorber assembly for a motor vehicle comprising, at each of the right-hand and left-hand sides thereof, at least a cradle extension end and a side sill end.
Such a shock-absorber assembly is known, for example, from document US 2005/0046226 A1. The shock-absorber assembly comprises a lower transverse beam which connects the ends of the cradle extensions and an upper transverse beam which connects the ends of the extensions of the side sills. Furthermore, the shock-absorber assembly comprises a deformable energy absorption element which is interposed between the two rigid structures which are, on the one hand, the beam and, on the other hand, a cradle extension or a side sill.
Motor vehicles must comply with various standards relating to impacts. The shock-absorber must be capable of absorbing the significant level of energy released during an impact at high speed (64 km/h) in order to protect the occupants of the vehicle. Furthermore, the shock-absorber must perform this function in the event of an impact with another motor vehicle which has a gauge which is different from the gauge of the vehicle in question.
In the known shock-absorber assembly, the presence of the transverse beams allows cohesion to be maintained between the left-hand and right-hand portions of the vehicle body during a high-speed impact. However, it does not allow the cohesion of the body to be maintained during an axial impact at high speed between vehicles which have different gauges and/or during a corner impact. During such impacts, a deformable element works laterally, for which it is not designed. Consequently, the lateral beams are torn from the body of the vehicle.
Furthermore, since a radiator is located behind the transverse beams, when the deformable elements are crushed along the thickness thereof, the transverse beams come into contact with the radiator and damage it.
The object of the invention is to overcome this problem by providing an improved shock-absorber assembly.